The waste problem of worn and used rubber tires and tire carcasses has been and is a significant waste problem by virtue of the sheer quantity and bulk thereof, and unsuitability for quick and easy destruction. Accordingly, there have been over the years numerous efforts throughout the United States to devise economically effective and practical ways and means of recycling used tires to both reduce the sheer burden thereof as well as to produce useful products.
Some of these efforts are reflected in United States patents. Illustratively thereof are the patents to:
Moore U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,552, who slices the whole tire carcass into shingle-like pieces;
Crivelli U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,222, who granulates the tires into "crumbs", mixing the same with liquid binder in a slurry, and casting the slurry into a roof shingle;
Murray U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,904, who shreds discarded tires into fragments, and molded with an adhesive into a rubber beam for various uses;
Sell U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,560, who mixes rubber crumb with a liquid resin binder to form a batting box mat for baseball game use;
Drews U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,708, who mixes latex with shredded tires to form structural building blocks.
There are numerous other examples of efforts to satisfactorily reclaim rubber tires in the patent art as well in literature. While these efforts are commendable, substantial manipulation of the tires and chemical or other liquid materials are required to obtain a serviceable product.